By Shereen Siewert
A Wausau woman accused of providing a fatal dose of drugs to a 38-year-old man whose body was discovered by his mother in February has reached a plea deal in a first-degree reckless homicide case, court records show.
Leanna M. Wells, 41, was charged June 17 in Marathon County Circuit Court. Wells is accusing of delivering fentanyl and heroin to the man, who was also taking prescribed oxycodone, court documents show.
Officers were called at about 12:30 a.m. Feb. 27 to an apartment in the 900 block of South 48th Avenue after the man’s mother found him face down and unresponsive on the bathroom floor. Police say the man appeared to have died several hours earlier, and CPR was not performed.
The man was arrested weeks before he died after allegedly buying heroin from a confidential informant, court records show. His mother told police her son admitted to using street drugs when his prescription for oxycodone ran out, according to court documents.
Investigators, using phone records and other evidence, traced the fatal dose of drugs to Wells, who allegedly admitted selling heroin to the man at least 10 times.
A toxicology report from an autopsy showed a variety of substances in the man’s system including methamphetamine, fentanyl, amphetamine and other drugs, court records show.
Wells, who is also known by the nickname “Shorty,” remains behind bars on a $50,000 cash bond. She is also facing charges of manufacturing or delivering heroin, possession of heroin with intent to deliver and bail jumping in a separate case filed just days after the man’s death. Additionally, she has an open case from June 2021 in which she was charged with operating while revoked, resisting or obstructing an officer, possessing drug paraphernalia and possession of THC.
A plea and sentencing hearing in all cases is set for Dec. 5.
